Wednesday, July 1, 2009

After 7 long months for Minnesotans, the Supreme Court has finally settled the much disputed election between Democrat Al Franken and Republican Norm Coleman.

Franken wins Minn. Senate race; Coleman concedes
Al Franken ascended Tuesday from the ranks of former "Saturday Night Live" comedians to an even more exclusive club, outlasting Republican Norm Coleman in an eight-month recount and courtroom saga to win a seat in the U.S. Senate.

Franken's victory gives Democrats control of 60 seats in the Senate...

PBS Newshour hosted a discussion on the long-awaited outcome in the Minnesota US Senate race
Eric Black trying to encapsulate what Al Franken was and has now become

After Long Court Battle, Franken Wins Minn. Senate Seat
ERIC BLACK: Well, I think he's not going to be your average senator. He didn't come from a typical background for a senator. His pre-politics life left him with some impressions that people found difficult to accept from a senatorial candidate. He's got a different personality. I think he's on his best behavior now and is going to try to keep it up.

But, you know, he was a comedian. He was a radio talk show host. He was very aggressive and argumentative in some of those roles. And now he's pledging to be someone who can work across party lines.

And, you know, he won't have to face the voters of Minnesota for five-and-a-half years. We'll see what they think of his personality when his turn comes around.

Amy Walter brings up Franken's reputation as a funnyman and asserts he has a capable challenger in the affable Amy Klobuchar, formerly Minnesota's lone Senator whilst the Election was in dispute.

AMY WALTER: ... I think he wants to dispel those stereotypes, that I'm just the guy from "Saturday Night Live" ... I'm going to just be the funny guy in the Senate, number one, because, quite frankly, Amy Klobuchar, very funny, so she's, I think, taken that mantle. If you've seen her in public, she's been really seen as sort of a rising star in part because she has this wonderful sense of humor.

But also that his temperament was going to be a problem. Remember, he wasn't just a liberal talk show host. He was a very aggressive attack dog, writing books like, "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot." So I think he's going to want to -- he wants to come in, prove that he has the policy chops, prove that he has the temperament to do this job.

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